AU723071B3 - Device and method for removing cut hair - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REMOVING CUT HAIR Name of Applicant: MICHELLE HACKETT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 Device and Method for Removing Cut Hair Field of the Invention The present invention relates broadly to a device and method for removing cut hair out of a person's hair after a hair cut.

Background of the Invention After a hair cut, removal of cut hair out of a person's hair is desirable both for aesthetic reasons and for the comfort of the person.

Hair dressers typically utilise a blow drier to blow away the cut hair. However, some persons do not want to have their hair blow dried. Using e.g. gel to create a wet-look on the other hand effectively ensures that the remaining cut hair does not fall out of the hair, which at least avoids some of the problems, but again not all persons want gel to be used in their hair either.

It is apparent from the above, that it is desirable to provide an alternative device/method to remove cut hair out of the hair.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for removing cut hair out of a person's hair, the device comprising means adapted, in use, for vacuuming the cut hair out of the person's hair, wherein the means adapted for vacuuming comprises an opening through which, in use, the cut hair is removed, and the device further comprises a spacer means arranged, in use, to maintain a distance between the opening and the scalp of the person; and under the proviso that the device does not comprise cutting means for cutting the hair and is not adapted for receiving an external cutting device.

The spacer means may be detachably connectable to the means adapted for vacuuming.

Advantageously, the spacer means is in the form of a I:\Speci\300 399\350 399\37736.doc 3 comb. The spacer may be in the form of a clip-on comb.

In a preferred embodiment, the means adapted for vacuuming comprises a main body for handling the device, wherein the opening is formed on the main body. The device may further comprise ducting means attached to the main body and arranged to be connectable to a vacuum generation means.

The device may comprise the vacuum generation means.

Preferably, the vacuum generation means comprises means for, in use, collecting the cut hair removed out of the person's hair.

The device may comprise a housing for housing the vacuum generation means. The housing is preferably arranged to detachably accommodate the means for collecting the cut hair. This can facilitate easy emptying of the collecting means.

In a preferred embodiment, the housing is.further arranged, in use, to detachably accommodate detachable spacer means of the device.

In another embodiment, the vacuum generation means is comprised in the main body. Accordingly, the entire device may be handheld. The vacuum generation means may comprise a rechargeable power source.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removing cut hair out of a person's hair, the method comprising vacuuming the cut hair out of the hair.

Preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating a device embodying the present invention.

J:\Speci\300 399\350 399\37736.doc 4 Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of another device embodying the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of another device embodying the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic drawing illustrating a method embodying the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment In Figure i, the device 10 comprises a wall mountable housing 12 which incorporates a vacuum generation means 14.

The housing 12 further accommodates a filter box 16 which is detachably accommodated on the housing 12. The filter box 16, when clipped into the housing 12, collects cut hair vacuumed out of a person's hair in the same fashion dust is collected in a vacuum cleaner bag in a conventional vacuum cleaner.

The device 10 further comprises a flexible tube 18 connected at one end to the housing 12 and in communication with the vacuum generation means 14, via, in use, the filter box 16.

At the other end of the flexible tube 18, the device comprises a handle 20 which has an opening 22 formed therein, the opening 22 being in communication with the tube 18 via a duct 24 formed in the handle The device 10 further comprises a detachable spacer means in the form of a clip-on comb 26. The clip-on comb 26 is attached to the handle 20 in a manner such that, in use, it keeps a distance between the opening 22 and the scalp of the person on which the device is being used. At the same time, the clip-on comb 26 can, in use, facilitate the styling of the person's hair after the hair cut.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that clip-on combs of varying dimensions can be provided J:\Speci\300 399\350 399\37736.doc 5 to suit particular hair and/or hair styles, similar to clip-on combs for electric clippers.

The housing 12 further comprises a rail 27 for storing clip-on combs of the device Turning now to Figure 2, in a different embodiment the device 30 is entirely hand held.

The device 30 comprises a vacuum generation means 32 and a hair filter 34 provided inside the body 36 of the device 30. The device 30 further comprises an opening 36 through which, in use, the cut hair is vacuumed out of a person's hair, the opening 36 being in communication with the vacuum generation means 32 via a duct 38 and the filter 34.

The device 30 further comprises a detachable spacer in the form of a clip-on comb 40, which is arranged, in use, to maintain a distance between the opening 36 and the scalp of the person.

The device 30 further comprises a vent 42 for the vacuum generation means 32, which may be in the form of a .rotor.

Turning now to Figure 3, in another embodiment, a device 50 comprises a hollow main body 52, having an opening 54 and a spacer element in the form of a comb structure 56 formed in front of the opening 54. The device 50 is arranged in a manner such that a distance is maintained, in use, between the opening 54 and the scalp of a person on which the device 50 is being used by way of the comb portion 56.

The device 50 comprises another opening 58, the opening 58 being in communication with the opening 54.

The opening 58 is arranged to, in use, be fitted onto e.g. a flexible tube 60 of a conventional vacuum cleaner (not shown) J:\Speci\300 399\350 399\37736.doc 6 In Figure 4, the method of removing cut hair out of a person's hair in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

In the claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprising" is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

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Claims (2)

1. 2. A device as claimed in claim i, wherein the spacer means is in the form of a clip-on comb.
2. 3. A device as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the device a main body for handling the device, wherein the opening is formed on the main body, and wherein the device further comprises ducting means attached to the main body and arranged to be connectable to a vacuum generation means. Dated this 19th day of June 2000 MICHELLE HACKETT By her Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK I:\Speci\300 399\350 399\37736.doc